Underdiagnosis, false diagnosis and treatment of COPD in a selected population in Northern Greece

In the primary care setting, diagnosis and treatment of COPD is not always consistent with GOLD guidelines.

To calculate the prevalence of COPD underdiagnosis, false diagnosis and treatment in the general population of northern Greece.

Observational study in the context of an early COPD detection and smoking cessation project. Inclusion criteria: >40-year-old, current and former smokers (>10 pack-years) in five primary care centres of northern Greece from 2012 to 2019. Participation was achieved via a campaign (posters and advertisements in the mass media).

We examined 5,226 subjects (mean age: 58.2 ± 12.7 years, 61.5% males, current smokers: 56.2%) of whom 564 (10.8%) had symptoms and spirometrically confirmed COPD. There were 5 groups of 'interest:' a) 117/264 (44.3%) with a previous correct diagnosis COPD and correct treatment; b) 139/264 (52.7%) previous correct diagnosis COPD but overtreatment; c) 8/264 (3%) previous correct diagnosis COPD but undertreatment; d) 461 subjects (63.6% of those with previous COPD diagnosis) had previous false diagnosis of COPD (= also overtreatment); e) 300/564 (53.2%) previously not diagnosed COPD (=underdiagnosis and also undertreatment). We found that 322/461 (69.8%) of those with a previous false diagnosis have been prescribed long-acting bronchodilators plus ICS.

Among the general population subjects in northern Greece, more than 50% of patients with COPD were underdiagnosed, more than 50% of correctly diagnosed COPD patients were overtreated and most patients taking inhaled drugs were those with a false diagnosis of COPD (possibly GOLD stage 0).